Ballyliffin Old Links
The older of Ballyliffin's two championship links, the Old Links rolls through wildly rumpled dunes on the remote Inishowen Peninsula, the most northerly course in Ireland. A par 71 of about 6,937 yards, it was strengthened by Nick Faldo in 2006 and remains the more natural, lower profile counterpoint to the bolder Glashedy alongside it.
Photo: Ballyliffin Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Ballyliffin sits at the very top of Donegal, on the Inishowen Peninsula where the land crumples into some of the most natural duneland in golf. The Old Links is the senior of the club's two courses, a tumbling, links of humps and hollows that the members rightly cherish for its honesty. Nick Faldo, who once called Ballyliffin the most natural links he had ever seen, was brought in to strengthen the layout in 2006, lengthening tees and rebuilding greens while keeping the wild character intact.
Where Glashedy is muscular and exposed, the Old Links is quieter and more intimate, the fairways spilling between the dunes and the greens tucked into natural folds. It is the kind of links that rewards imagination and a low ball flight, and on a breezy Donegal afternoon it asks every question worth asking. Paired with Glashedy on the same day, it makes the long drive north entirely worthwhile.
Ballyliffin Old Links at a glance
- Opened
- 1947, club founded
- Designer
- Natural links, Faldo redesign 2006
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 6,937 yds
- Green fee
- From €300
Designer history, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Ballyliffin Golf Club and leading course databases. The Old Links is the original course at the club, founded in 1947 and strengthened by Nick Faldo in 2006, a par 71 of about 6,937 yards. The indicative 2026 visitor green fee for the Old Links is around €300 in peak season; rates change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Old Links makes its case quietly, the routing weaving through the dunes rather than over them, so that many fairways sit in natural valleys with greens defended by the contours of the land itself. There is little need for heavy artificial shaping here; the ground does the work, and the player who keeps the ball low and uses the slopes is rewarded.
The par 3s are a highlight, played to greens perched among the dunes where club selection in the wind is a guess as much as a calculation. The mid round stretch runs close to the shore, the marram grass and the sound of the Atlantic never far away, and the closing holes turn back toward the clubhouse beneath the watchful cone of Glashedy Rock out in the bay.
It is a links that favours the thinker over the basher. Faldo's changes added length and tightened the test without robbing the course of its natural soul, and for many visitors the Old Links is the one they remember most fondly once the trip is over.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Visitors welcome by tee time booking through the golf shop; the club runs two championship links, so plan a day for both |
| Green fee | Indicative from €300 for the Old Links in peak 2026 season; shoulder and winter rates are lower (indicative, confirm before booking) |
| Booking | Book ahead online or through the golf shop, especially May to September; a links specialist helps secure two course days |
| On the day | Walking links golf; caddies and trolleys can be arranged; come prepared for Donegal wind and weather |
| Getting there | Ballyliffin on the Inishowen Peninsula, about 45 minutes from the city of Derry and within reach of Donegal's wider links |
| Best months | May to September for the longest days and the firmest links turf, though the course plays year round |
Access and fees verified June 2026 from Ballyliffin Golf Club; rates and tee sheet policies change, so always confirm directly before booking your round.
Where to stay nearby
Most visiting golfers base themselves locally in Ballyliffin or nearby Buncrana, with the Ballyliffin Lodge and Spa a short drive from the first tee and a natural hub for a links trip in the far north. The city of Derry, around 45 minutes away, offers a wider choice of hotels and dining and makes a comfortable base for exploring the Inishowen courses.
Ballyliffin pairs beautifully into a northwest Ireland links tour, an easy run to Rosapenna, Portsalon and Narin and Portnoo in Donegal, and across the border to Royal Portrush on the Antrim coast. It is a region made for a multi course pilgrimage built around firm, natural links golf.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Ballyliffin Old Links.
Build a Donegal links trip
We book the Ballyliffin tee times across both championship links, pair them with the best of Donegal and the Causeway Coast, and arrange the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Prefer to book tee times yourself? Tee time partner: [TEE_TIME_AFFILIATE_LINK] · Hotels: [HOTEL_AFFILIATE_LINK]
Ballyliffin Old Links questions
Who designed Ballyliffin Old Links and when did it open?
The Old Links is the original course at Ballyliffin Golf Club, which was founded in 1947. The natural links layout was strengthened and modernised by Nick Faldo in 2006, lengthening tees and rebuilding greens while keeping its wild character.
What is the par and length of the Old Links?
The Old Links plays as a par 71 of about 6,937 yards from the back tees, running through the natural dunes of the Inishowen Peninsula on firm links turf.
How much does it cost to play Ballyliffin Old Links?
The indicative visitor green fee for the Old Links is around €300 in peak 2026 season, with lower shoulder and winter rates. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly with the club before booking.
What is the difference between the Old Links and Glashedy at Ballyliffin?
The Old Links is the older, more natural and lower profile of the two courses, weaving through the dunes, while the Glashedy Links is bolder, longer and more exposed. Most visitors play both on the same trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.